Chelsea are set for another major squad overhaul after abysmal season but their fans must pay attention to those who are coming in rather than those leaving.
Chelsea’s 2025/26 season was one to forget. A disappointing 10th-place Premier League finish meant another year without UEFA Champions League football.
The campaign was also marked by instability on the touchline, with the Blues changing managers multiple times before finally appointing Xabi Alonso ahead of the 2026/27 season. While the new appointment signals a fresh direction, Chelsea’s biggest priority this summer should not be who leaves, it should be who arrives.
The arrival of Alonso suggests the club may finally be learning from the mistakes of recent years. After cycling through different managers, Chelsea have turned to one of Europe’s brightest young coaches in the hope of building a long-term project.
However, even the best managers need the right players. Alonso cannot transform Chelsea if the squad beneath him remains incomplete. Given Chelsea’s current situation, outgoings are inevitable.
Marc Cucurella has already left for Real Madrid, while other departures continue to reshape the squad. André Santos has moved on, Alejandro Garnacho is reportedly expected to leave permanently, and academy graduate Tyrique George has completed his transfer to Everton.
More exits are likely before the transfer window closes, particularly among fringe players and those looking for Champions League football elsewhere.
That is exactly why Chelsea cannot afford to focus solely on balancing the books. Selling players is only half the equation. The bigger challenge is replacing them with footballers capable of improving the team immediately.
Without quality reinforcements, Chelsea risk entering another season with the same weaknesses that left them outside the European places.
The club have already begun that process. Young Italian defender Marco Palestra has arrived to strengthen the back line after earning widespread praise for his performances in Serie A. However, Chelsea will need to sign more players and honestly, more experienced ones.
Tottenham, for example, strengthened key areas by targeting proven performers such as Sandro Tonali and Jan Paul van Hecke despite their own disappointing league campaign. Chelsea should follow a similar blueprint by identifying players who are ready to contribute immediately, particularly in defence, midfield and goalkeeping.
If Chelsea want to return to the Champions League and compete for major honours again, their focus must shift from clearing space in the dressing room to bringing in players capable of transforming it.
